


Teach Me

by BebbanburgBeats



Category: The Last Kingdom (TV), The Warrior Chronicles | The Saxon Stories - Bernard Cornwell
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-13
Updated: 2020-10-13
Packaged: 2021-03-07 22:28:57
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,516
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26995198
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BebbanburgBeats/pseuds/BebbanburgBeats
Summary: Reader asks Finan to teach her a sword skill
Relationships: Finan (The Last Kingdom)/Reader
Kudos: 22





	Teach Me

It was a hot summer day and Y/N was watching the men of Coccham practice their sword skills. Finan had beaten his opponent and wandered over to the fence where Y/N was standing, watching.

“Teach me” Y/N said.

Surprised, Finan turned to her with raised brows. “You want to learn to fight with a sword?”

“I want to learn what you just did to him.” Y/N gestured to the yard where the men practiced every day.

“So you want to know how to protect yourself? If you’re scared, you could always have asked me to protect you.” Finan replied with a smirk. Ever since Y/N had settled in Coccham, her and Finan had flirted endlessly.

Y/N scoffed. “Do you think I am scared, Irishman? I might just want to know how to do that move out of... curiosity.”

“And you wouldn’t be using it as an excuse to get up close and personal with me, would you Y/N?” Finan asked as the smirk on his face grew.

“Now why would I want to do that, Finan?” She replied with a smirk of her own, running her finger along the fence as she sidled closer to where he was standing before stopping again. “If I wanted to get up close and personal to anyone it would be Uhtred. His muscles are bigger” She teased.

“Ahh so you’ve been comparing muscle size have you. Checking us all out while we train?” He grinned as he turned around to lean on the fence, bringing his head closer to her level. “But I think you might have been mistaken about muscle size there, darling. These muscles?” He flexed his arms. “These are the biggest in Coccham. I think you should have another look at Uhtred and I when we train again... Just to check.”

A coy smile over her shoulder was Y/N’s only comeback as she wondered off towards her house.

Finan smiled to himself before realising that he hadn’t agreed to teach her. He jogged off after her, catching up to Y/N on the next street along, about to enter her house.

“Y/N! Wait!” Finan called. Y/N stopped and turned to look at Finan, quirking an eyebrow in question. “I will train you if you desire it. I will teach you everything I know if it pleases you.”

A devious grin appeared on her face. “I would like that very much. It is always handy for a woman to know how to defend herself.” Y/N smiled again.

“So, shall we say tomorrow? After my morning training session? I could teach you a thing or two.” Finan asked, excited at the thought of training Y/N in swordplay.

“Yes. Suits me fine. See you tomorrow then.” Y/N said as she stepped through the door.

“Tomorrow it is then.” Finan said as he walked backwards up the street, watching her still.

“Oh and I hear that any woman is lucky to get up close and personal with Finan the Agile.” Y/N turned back and winked as she shut the front door to her house.

  
\-----------------------------

  
“Should we tell him that she already knows how to fight?” Sihtric asked Uhtred, both watching on with amusement as Finan showed Y/N how to use a sword.

“No, I think we should let him find out for himself”. Uhtred replied smugly, arms crossed.

Uhtred has known Y/N for years, having met when they were both younger. So, naturally when Y/N had heard that Uhtred was Lord of Coccham, she had travelled there and asked if she could stay. Of course Uhtred had said yes, they could always do with more warriors in Coccham. Y/N had explained that she didn’t want to be a warrior anymore, she only wanted somewhere to call home and put down her sword. Uhtred, Sihtric and Osferth had been present when she arrived and knew of her past, but respected her wish to move on from the warrior life. The only reason Finan didn’t know Y/N could fight already was because he was on patrol when she had arrived, thus missing the conversation about her being very proficient indeed with weapons. It seemed everyone had forgotten to tell him about Y/N’s past as well. Something that had become a running joke between Uhtred, Sihtric and Osferth when they saw how Finan flirted with Y/N, especially seeing now how he was “teaching” her to use a sword. Of course everyone was in on the joke, except Finan who was still blissfully unaware.

“...In essence, all you have to do is use the pointy end and stab your attacker. It will hold them off long enough for one of us to arrive and finish it.” Finan finished off his speech about the basics of sword fighting, punctuating his words with a thrust of his sword into an imaginary attacker. “Does that make sense? Do you need me to show you again?”

“No I think I got the basics. But what about that move you pulled yesterday?” Y/N asked patiently.

“Whoa there, just practice the basics first darling. Once you got those down, then we can move on to the high level stuff.” Finan said. “We could practice what I just showed you now if you want?”

Y/N shrugged. “Sure, why not. It would do me good to practice.” She went to the training weapon rack and picked a blunt sword to match the one Finan had.

Taking a stance, Finan was surprised to see how good her stance was. He nodded in appreciation, she was a fast learner.

Y/N swung the sword in a confident blow that Finan wasn’t expecting and only just managed to block in time.

Good strike, Y/N!” Finan remarked. “Now, I am going to attack you. Make sure you are ready.” Y/N nodded.

Finan struck slowly so as to give Y/N time to block, which she did perfectly before launching into a counter attack that had him on the back foot and desperately trying to keep up with. He had no idea where this was coming from but he was very impressed at her skill. He was in disbelief at how good she was on her first training session. _Unless...?_ He thought. _How is she this good?!_

All too soon, Y/N took him be surprise by finishing her attack with a feint to the right and a kick to Finan’s leg that put him on his back on the floor and Y/N on top of him with her sword by his throat.

“Perhaps I could show you a thing or two as well, Finan.” Y/N replied smugly, getting up and holding her hand out to Finan to help him up off the floor. Once done, she turned on her heel and hung her sword up on the stand. “But I concede that your muscles are better than Uhtred’s.” She walked over to the fence, saying to Sihtric on her way past, heading home, “Still up for training later as usual?” “Of course” Came Sihtric’s reply.

Mouth agape, Finan stared after Y/N.

“Did you “teach” her anything, Finan? She looks to be a quick learner!” Uhtred laughed.

“How – how did she do that?!” Finan spluttered.

“Oh, didn’t you know? Y/N is very adept at swordplay. She was quite the warrior when she was younger. Fought for what was right to amend injustices. She is here now because she wanted somewhere to hang her sword, have a quiet life. But it seems that she hasn’t lost any of her skill.” Uhtred teased.

“You knew?!”

“She and I fought together a few times.”

“And you let me make a fool of myself?”

“You should always be prepared, Finan. Never judge a woman by appearance alone. You never know a woman’s past.” Uhtred said, patting Finan on the shoulder in a brotherly way. “Besides, we needed a laugh.”

Finan looked around, only to see Sihtric and Osferth still laughing, along with a gathered crowd of men staring in awe after Y/N. She had, after all, just bested one of the most adept warriors in Coccham with ease.

“Good lesson today, Finan. I really learned a lot. Mainly to find out a woman’s past before you jump to conclusions.”

“Yes, thank you Sihtric. But it isn’t like anyone told me she is that good a warrior already. And she asked me to teach her.” Finan said, a little sulkily.

“Actually, she only asked you to teach her that one move you did yesterday. She never said to teach her the basics”. Sihtric corrected.

Finan’s only reply was a muttered “Smart ass” at Sihtric as he left to find Y/N. They had much to discuss. After all, Y/N had taught him a thing or two today. She had taught him that he could no longer stop himself from being apart from her. After all, he had agreed to “teach” her as an excuse to get up close and personal with her.


End file.
